How Camp Benefits your Child
Through youthful eyes, the main reason to go to camp is to have a wonderful time! After all, there are lots of activities that are fun, new friends, good meals and snacks, and a stress-free time in the natural world.
From an older and wiser point of view, you can appreciate that the enhanced confidence, social skills and sense of independence learned at camp will be an asset to your child as he or she returns to school and community. Traits learned at camp help reduce future risky behaviors.
Specifically, data indicates that our campers show growth or improvement in more than half of the following outcomes, as rated by camp counselors and directors:
- Increased self-esteem and positive self image
- Independence, self-reliance and confidence
- Decision-making
- Sense of belonging with peers and adults
- Living and working with others from different backgrounds
- Testing own abilities and limits
- Participating cooperatively
- Sense of structure and purpose for a day
- Safety consciousness
- Leadership and group skills
- Taking care of self and belongings
- Appreciation for the natural world
All this occurs under the watchful eyes of well-trained personnel, including certified health professionals available around the clock. All partner camps are accredited by the American Camp Association and approved by the State of Michigan.
About Washtenaw Camp Placement’s Program
Campership Defined
A campership is one or two weeks of expense-paid summer resident camp, plus supportive services. Services may include clothing and gear, medical examinations, an orientation session with representatives of participating camps, and transportation to and from camp.
Area Served
WCP is the only camping program that accepts referrals from teachers and counselors in all Washtenaw county school districts, as well as from social workers in human service agencies throughout the county and serves Grade 5 through age 16.
Process
WCP campers attend several different camps at different times during the summer. Separated from their peer groups and making new friends, they are just kids like any other kids. One might say that the camp is a level playing field.
Campers
Typically 35% of the applicants are from Ann Arbor and 50% are from the Ypsilanti area. The remaining applicants are from Chelsea, Dexter, Manchester, Milan, Saline and Whitmore Lake.
Organization
WCP operates with the equivalent of 1.5 full-time staff member and the dedication of dozens of volunteers who handle the screening and placement of the applicants, as well as the many other details involved in the operation of a small non-profit organization.
Camps
WCP gratefully acknowledges the critical role of our partner camps who generously reduce fees for our campers. See the Partner Camps page for a list of the camps that currently work with us.
Please consider submitting an application for a campership if your son or daughter resides in or goes to school in Washtenaw County, and will be in Grades 5 and above next year.
Questions? E-mail afales@washtenawcampplacement.org or call 734.971.4537